The Terrace, Barnes
The Terrace, Barnes is a street in Barnes, London, with houses only on one side, all overlooking the River Thames. It forms part of the A3003, and runs west from its junction with Barnes High Street and Lonsdale Road to the east, where it becomes Mortlake High Street.
It runs along the west bend of the river and is lined with Georgian mansions, most of them dating from the 18th century[1] and some from as early as 1720.[2] Many of the houses are listed buildings, and there have been several notable residents.
In 1812, Louis-Alexandre de Launay, comte d'Antraigues and his wife, the celebrated soprano Madame Saint-Huberty, were murdered with a dirk and pistol at their country home at no 27, by an Italian servant whom they had dismissed. The servant then shot himself dead at the house. It has never been established whether the murder was committed from private or political motives. Some claimed that the motive behind the murders was simply the fact that d'Antraigues' wife treated her servants badly. Others saw more sinister political machinations at work, as the d'Antraigues were active spies, working for the Bourbons, Russia and Britain.[3][4][5] When the house was sold in more recent times, its history was mentioned in the advertising materials, but not the double murder and suicide.[3]
Notable people
Gustav Theodore Holst (1874–1934) lived at no 10 from 1908 to 1913.[6] A commemorative blue plaque is fixed to the front of the house.
John Moody (c.1727–1812), actor, lived at no 11, from c.1780 until his death.[7]
Dame Ninette de Valois (1898–2001), dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director of classical ballet, lived at no 14 from 1962 to 1982.[6][8] A blue plaque is fixed to the front of the house.
No 26 collapsed "like a tower of cards" in November 2015 during building work. Pop singer Duffy had previously lived there. It had also been the home of Ebenezer Cobb Morley (1831–1924), sportsman, regarded as the father of The Football Association and modern football.[9][10]
Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816), playwright, poet, theatre owner and MP, took a house on The Terrace in 1810, when his son Tom was living nearby at Milbourne House.[11]
Lieutenant-General Robert Ballard Long (1771–1825) retired to his house on The Terrace.[12]
References
- ^ Malden, H E (1912). 'Parishes: Barnes', in A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4, pp. 3-8. London: Victoria County History/ British History Online. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ "Timeline". Barnes and Mortlake History Society. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ a b Bondeson, Jan (28 June 2015). Murder Houses of Greater London. Troubador Publishing Ltd. pp. 93–96. ISBN 978-1-78462-974-8.
- ^ "No 27, The Terrace". Mortlake and Barnes. Panorama of the Thames. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ "Louis-Alexandre De Launay, compte D'Antraigues, 27 The Terrace, Barnes, London". Notable Abodes. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Blue Plaques in Barnes and Mortlake" (PDF). Barnes and Mortlake History Society. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ Brown, Maisie (1997). Barnes and Mortlake Past, with East Sheen. Historical Publications. p. 122. ISBN 0-948667-46-X.
- ^ McDonnell, Colleen (9 June 2006). "Plaque dedicated to dancing hero Dame Ninette". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- ^ Marshall, Tom (26 November 2015). "House collapse in Barnes: Pop star Duffy's former London house caves in 'like tower of cards'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ Dyduch, Amy (14 May 2013). "Search for founding fathers of football proves fruitless". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ Kelly, Linda (1997). Richard Brinsley Sheridan: A Life. Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-28715-4.
- ^ Chichester, H. M. "Long, Robert Ballard (1771–1825)", rev. Stearn, Roger T, first published 2004; online edn, May 2008. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
